Facts: Open for Debate

It seems to me, that a fact used to be indisputable. Somewhere along the lines of political discourse in this country, this ceased to be the case. Politicians, experts, and personalities in the media manage not just to cast doubt upon facts and figures which should stand as axiomatic, but they also manage to substantiate claims and viewpoints which should be instantly discredited. Case in point: the global warming argument.

One side of the debate claims that the earth is warming as a result of carbon emissions and other aspects of human civilization. We can see this as evidenced by the rapid melting of polar ice and the increase of average temperature in congruence with industrialization. These are facts, substantiated by science. The other side argues that this winter has been very cold, it is snowing in Washington DC, and thus global warming is a hoax.

Any intelligent person should be able to see how bogus this is.

Imagine that, 100 years ago, there was a debate over whether the Earth revolved around the sun or vice versa. Rockets had not been invented yet, so we could not yet take pictures, and some group of idiots decided to challenge the heliocentric model of the universe, ignoring all the facts and data presented by astronomers. Would we entertain these misguided individuals? Or would we remind them of the facts and disregard their outlandish claims?

An intelligent mind, regardless of their position on the political spectrum, should be able to see which one of these two arguments is sound and which of them does not merit media attention, and yet the 'most trusted names in news' considers this matter open for debate. Instead, the conservative right has adopted these ideas, polarized them politically, and in doing so has tossed out any hope of intelligent discourse.

"Here are the facts that prove global warming."

"Nope. It's warm outside."

"Here are the facts that prove evolution, which effects only government and government run institutions."

"Nope. Bible says God did it. Gotta teach it in schools."

"Here is Obama's birth certificate, announcement in the local paper, and social security number."

"Nope. I'm pretty sure he was born in Kenya."

None of these debates should warrant discussion. You have the right to disagree with anything you please, you have the right to believe whatever you want and practice your religion however you please, but government should not entertain these false arguments. We should instead call them what they are: ignorant lies. Because when we don't, and we allow unsubstantiated claims to make their way into real discourse, we allow Congressmen to walk into the Capitol and lie. They lie about health care, they lie about WMDs, they lie about death panels, and they lie about the economy. And instead of calling them out, decrying their ignorance of facts and quelling their absurd arguments with one fell swoop, intelligence has no other option than to say, "With all respect, I disagree."